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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lincoln, Nebraska » Agroecosystem Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #126038
Title: SITE-SPECIFIC MANURE APPLICATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

Author
item Eghball, Bahman
item SHAPIRO, CHARLES - UNIV OF NEBRASKA
item Schepers, James
item Bauer, Christopher

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/21/2001
Publication Date: 11/1/2001
Citation: EGHBALL, B., SHAPIRO, C., SCHEPERS, J.S., BAUER, C.J. SITE-SPECIFIC MANURE APPLICATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF AGRONOMY ABSTRACTS #83722. 2001.

Interpretive Summary: The organic matter in manure can enhance physical and chemical properties of soils, especially infertile and degraded soils. The objective of this study was to evaluate manure application for improving crop yield and soil properties of the less productive areas within a field. The treatments included applications of site-specific manure (SSM), uniform manure (UM), uniform commercial fertilizer, and a no treatment check. Field strips 12.2 m wide and 680 m long were used in three years (1998-2000). For the SSM treatment, manure was applied to areas within the field where organic C was < 14 g/kg. The UM and SSM treatments produced significantly greater grain yields than the commercial fertilizer treatment. Soil P level was greater for UM and SSM than the commercial fertilizer but much less than the environmental concern level. Residual soil nitrate was higher for fertilizer than UM treatment indicating greater potential of fertilizer application to pollute ground water. In 1998 and 1999, green reflectance (green band only), determined by analyzing aerial photographs of the corn canopy, had significant negative correlation coefficients with chlorophyll meter readings indicating usefulness of remote sensing for determination of plant N status. Site-specific manure application is an excellent method of improving less productive soils or sites within a field.

Technical Abstract: The organic matter in manure can enhance physical and chemical properties of soils, especially infertile and degraded soils. The objective of this study was to evaluate manure application for improving crop yield and soil properties of the less productive areas within a field. The treatments included applications of site-specific manure (SSM), uniform manure (UM), uniform commercial fertilizer, and a no treatment check. Field strips 12.2 m wide and 680 m long were used in three years (1998-2000). For the SSM treatment, manure was applied to areas within the field where organic C was < 14 g/kg. The UM and SSM treatments produced significantly greater grain yields than the commercial fertilizer treatment. Soil P level was greater for UM and SSM than the commercial fertilizer but much less than the environmental concern level. Residual soil nitrate was higher for fertilizer than UM treatment indicating greater potential of fertilizer application to pollute ground water. In 1998 and 1999, green reflectance (green band only), determined by analyzing aerial photographs of the corn canopy, had significant negative correlation coefficients with chlorophyll meter readings indicating usefulness of remote sensing for determination of plant N status. Site-specific manure application is an excellent method of improving less productive soils or sites within a field.